Professional Documents
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Contents
What is this document about? ...................................................................................................................1
Introducing the Checklist for Evaluating Learning Materials .................................................................1
How was the Checklist for Evaluating Learning Materials developed? .....................................................1
How is the Checklist organized? ...............................................................................................................2
Examining the Checklist in detail ...............................................................................................................3
Describing the Quality of Content section............................................................................................3
Describing the Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool section .....................................3
Describing the Ease of Use (for Practitioners and Learners) section ..................................................4
Describing the Comments section .......................................................................................................4
The Checklist in Action: Kitchen Math Example ......................................................................................5
Filling out the Content section of the checklist ........................................................................................5
Answering the evaluative questions and providing comments ..................................................................5
Checklist for Evaluating Learning Materials .......................................................................................... 19
detailing the six Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) principles on
which it is based
4. Be accountable to the public. The Checklist for Evaluating Learning Materials helps you evaluate
a learning material that may already be in your delivery agencys collection or may be a resource
that your agency intends to buy.
5. Be built on a specified, strong theoretical foundation consistent with andragogy. The Checklist for
Evaluating Learning Materials uses evaluative questions that directly reflect adult learning
principles. Specifically, the questions take into account that learners
are self-directed
are goal-oriented
are practical
6. Be clear to learners, practitioners, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU),
and other stakeholders. The Checklist for Evaluating Learning Materials makes explicit the
connection between a particular learning material and the OALCFs competency- and task-based
program approach.
The development of the checklist was informed by various educational and institutional sources.
Specifically, the evaluative questions and the categories into which they are grouped were adapted from
MERLOT-Multimedia Education Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. You can access this
resource at http://taste.merlot.org/evaluationcriteria.html.
To further understand the key concepts and rationale that informed the development of the Checklist for
Evaluating Learning Materials, please read Foundations of Learning Materials
(http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/publications/OALCF_Foundations_of_Learning_Materials_March_20
11.pdf), available from the Linking Learning Materials to the OALCF web page of the OALCF website.
Low
High
Materials are designed so that learners can immediately apply the skills, knowledge, and
behaviours they have acquired in class
Conversely, some qualities that would inform a low rating are as follows:
The activities consist of drill and kill exercises without providing any meaningful and relevant
context
based learning that meets individual needs. You use the boxes on the right side of the checklist to rate
your response to each.
For example, to answer the question Does the material present options for meeting individual needs?,
some qualities that would inform a high rating are as follows:
The material can be adapted to respond to the needs, interests, and goal of the learner
Suggested out-of-class activities enable learners to apply what they have learned in authentic
situations
Conversely, some qualities that would inform a low rating are as follows:
The material provides no opportunity for learners to apply their newly acquired abilities in real-life
situations
The use of visuals breaks up the text and helps the reader to understand it
Conversely, some qualities that would inform a low rating are as follows:
The type is very small and difficult to read for some learners
Quality of Content
basic skills were presented in a mature format; no child-like images or concepts were present
the subject matter was presented with childrens interests, needs, and level of understanding in
mind
the topics were presented without context. For example, they contained isolated multiplication
drills and spelling lists.
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
Adults who would use this material are probably interested in nutrition and in
learning the skills necessary to plan meals.
The topic is relevant to adults since they need to prepare food for themselves
and their families.
Lessons and activities generally pertain to a typical adult lifestyle and most can
be applied immediately.
Quality of Content
the learning goals were clearly stated before each unit or lesson, as in By the end of this lesson,
learners will be able to . . .
an obvious connection existed between the material being taught, the reasons for teaching it, and
the gains learners could make
learners could understand and state what they were expected to learn
learners would be unclear about what they were supposed to be learning and why
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
Adults who would use this material are probably interested in nutrition and in
learning the skills necessary to plan meals.
The topic is relevant to adults since they need to prepare food for themselves
and their families.
Lessons and activities generally pertain to a typical adult lifestyle and most can
be applied immediately.
Quality of Content
the themes, messages, and concepts accurately reflected current social and economic realities
learners could see themselves, their values, and their realities in the themes, messages, and
concepts that supported learning
the themes, topics, and messages were outdated and did not reflect current beliefs, social
structures, or realities
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
Learners are introduced to modern information gathering and sorting tools for
good health, such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) and food labels.
The worksheet topics are timely, accurate, and reflect the interests and
realities of individuals who live in the North.
Recipes are provided and learners are encouraged to use them at home.
Quality of Content
the subject matter and the way it was presented were sensitive to the socio-economic, cultural,
and linguistic differences of learners
concepts and messages were addressed with specific traditions or beliefs in mind
learners could relate to what was being taught and the vehicle for teaching it
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
Much of the content in the first section was adapted from an anglophone
resource; therefore, concepts and references within it reflect the anglophone
culture.
skills were developed and taught as they related to the tasks the learner was required to
complete
the material emphasized completing tasks rather than on completing skills and drills or
completing worksheets
the material developed skills, but indicated no purpose for using them
skill development was mostly in the form of drills, repetitive worksheets, or cloze exercises
learners could not apply the skills they were learning in their lives
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
Kitchen Math develops basic math skills by applying them to the tasks involved
in meal preparationtasks that learners completed outside the class.
Learners are presented with opportunities to learn about related tasks that
involve more than just math skills, such as making a shopping list, planning a
workshop, or searching for food information on the Internet.
Kitchen Math is a workbook that requires a great deal of pen- and-paper work;
however, the author includes extended learning activities that are task-based.
10
lessons were set up so learners could advance at their own pace, even if they skipped ahead or
spent more time on a particular unit
no opportunities existed for learners to apply what they had learned in authentic situations
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The material provides opportunities for discussion, as the topics are timely.
Practitioners can pick and choose activities or worksheets that best suit the
needs and skills of the individual learner.
11
lessons or tasks could be modified to address learners individual needs. For example, the
practitioner or another learner could read the directions aloud.
lessons were presented in only one way, for example, with only written instructions
Kitchen Math
Does the material satisfy the various teaching and learning styles?
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The material is presented in only a couple of formats; it uses only text and
graphics.
A practitioner or classmate can act as a scribe and help a learner complete the
written portions orally.
12
lessons or tasks could be modified to address the social and economic differences of learners
lessons or tasks could be changed to respond to the cultural and linguistic differences of learners
practitioners would have difficulty modifying lessons or tasks to respond to the social and
economic differences of learners
lessons or tasks could not be changed easily to respond to the cultural and linguistic differences
of learners
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
13
lessons avoided methods, such as cloze exercises, that did not match activities that would be
carried out beyond the classroom
lessons relied on the learners prior knowledge for building new skills
the material did not reflect current practices and concepts associated with adult learning
lessons did not take into consideration the learners prior knowledge or skills
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The workbook author has not recognized the importance of setting up activities
outside the classroom to practice newly learned skills and to allow learners to
take charge of their learning.
14
it was unclear what competencies and task groups could be aligned with the learning materials
the competencies and task groups of the OALCF were not stated
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The title of the book clearly indicates that it will be dealing with numbers, so it
helps learner work with OALCF competency C. Understand and Use Numbers
and its task groups.
After reviewing the material, it is obvious that the learning material helps to
develop other competencies.
15
adults did not enjoy working with the material since it was unattractive and cluttered
the text did not look easy to read and understand, making it appear intimidating
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The variety of ideas for activities outside the classroom is interesting and likely
to appeal to an adult audience.
16
the material allowed the practitioner to use different media with the tasks
the material allowed the practitioner to adapt it to meet learners needs, interests, and goals
the context of the task could not be changed to meet the needs and goals of learners
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The materials provide learners with an opportunity for outside class activities to
practice what they have learned in class.
The practitioner can use the worksheets as a guide to help create more
suitable, task-based activities, based on the learners needs and goal.
17
Kitchen Math
Low
High
Evaluators Comments
The Math Projects pages encourage learners to practice what they have
learned by completing activities outside the classroom.
Answer pages in the back of the workbook support learners working on their
own.
18
Date of Evaluation
1. Content
Anglophone
Deaf
Francophone
Native
Cultural Group
Employment
Apprenticeship
Secondary School
Credit
Postsecondary
Independence
Goal Path
B. Communicate
Ideas and
Information
C. Understand
and Use
Numbers
D. Use Digital
Technology
E. Manage
Learning
F. Engage with
Others
Predominant
Competency
Secondary
Competencies
2. Quality of Content
Low
High
19
Low
High
Low
High
5. Comments
20